The Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Sunday dubbed the latest Israeli assaults on the Islamic sanctuaries of occupied Jerusalem a pre-planned “state policy” seeking to impose a new fait accompli on the ground.

Speaking at a press conference in Amman, Ensour vowed Jordan will take a series of measures against the mounting Israeli vandalism against Muslims’ holy al-Aqsa Mosque.

Jordan recalled its ambassador from Israel on Wednesday, denouncing the mounting Israeli violations against holy al-Aqsa Mosque and the city of Jerusalem.

The move was followed by an appeal launched by the Permanent Mission of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the United Nations to take a tougher line against Israel’s assaults on Islamic sanctuaries in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Regarding calls to scrap the peace treaty with the Israeli occupation, Ensour said that such a move would have political and security consequences that would first have to be carefully thought out, adding that a backing out of the peace treaty with the Israel occupation was not on the table for now.

“Jordan is committed to respect the peace treaty, but this commitment is not just applicable to one side, it is a commitment by both,” Ensour told reporters in Amman.

Ensour added that Jordan’s ambassador would resume his post at the end of the crisis and the return of the situation in the holy sites to normal.

Jordan has blamed Israel for the crisis, saying the rapid expansion of Jewish settlements coupled with vocal demands by Jewish fanatics for greater access to al-Aqsa Mosque have inflamed passions.

The Jordanian prime minister confirmed that the tensions are due to “an Israeli electoral game,” implying that the Israeli government is raising tensions in order to gain popularity in the next elections.

“The Jordanian government condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the events of recent weeks in Occupied Jerusalem, which are not the result of administrative errors or acts by a few extremists but rather a clear government policy to alter the realities at the holy places,” he continued.

He further warned that Jordan’s sovereignty over the Islamic sanctities in occupied Jerusalem is a redline, vowing that the Jordanian authorities will do whatever it takes to live up to their allotted mission.

Israeli security forums have expressed their concerns over the growing crisis in Jerusalem, expecting this to affect domestic and foreign tourism.

The retaliative actions carried out by Palestinians, this past year, against Israeli soldiers and settlers throughout the West Bank are, according to security, individual acts.

They believe that this round of escalation is more serious, however, Al Ray reports, with the most recent attacks believed to be carried out by individuals in chorus with the protest of many. Their official assertation is, therefore, that the individuals are affiliated to an organization and that a chain of command is behind them.

Mr. Amos Harel, one of Israel's leading media experts on military and defense affairs stated that religion has a significant factor in this round of violence.

Another Israeli writer notes that the major cause of violence in Jerusalem is the lack of clear address on the Palestinian side.

Times of Israel Middle East analyst Avi Issacharoff said that, in the occupied West Bank, PA President Mahmoud Abbas continues to demonstrate governance, while in the Gaza Strip Hamas imposes quiet. In Jerusalem, the self-declared eternal, united capital, he says it is the Israeli government and security forces alone who seek to grapple with the violence, and are not having great success.

Other Israelis note that the ongoing wave of violence in Jerusalem, and the clashes between Palestinian youth and Israeli security forces, indicate strongly that the favorite approach of Israeli PM Netanyahu and his cabinet -- as they "manage" the conflict rather than solving it -- is creating a difficult reality for Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Liberation Organization has called on international media to desist from using the term "Temple Mount", saying its use doesn't "adhere to international law".

According to PNN correspondence, "Temple Mount" is the term commonly used in English to describe what, in Arabic, is known as "Haram al-Sharif" (the Noble Sanctuary) -- the compound in the Old City of Jerusalem containing al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock.

The compound, states the PLO, "is not a disputed territory and all other terms, therefore, are null and void".

The official statement goes on to say that the compound is "an internationally recognized part of the Occupied State of Palestine" and that Israel's annexation of Jerusalem in the Basic Law on Jerusalem of 1980 is not recognized by the international community.

To the effect that "all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which have altered or purport to alter the character and the status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and in particular, the recent 'basic law' on Jerusalem, are null and void" the PLO's request reflects the United Nations Security Council Resolution 478.

The Israeli Army and Police declared, on Thursday evening, a series of further restrictions limiting the entry of Muslim worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque, on Friday, including preventing all men, below the age of 30, from entering it.

The army said it expects further clashes around the mosque area, and in different parts of occupied East Jerusalem, and that it received information that Palestinians youths “are planning confrontation with the army.”

Dozens of additional units of Border Guard Police officers have been deployed in different parts of occupied Jerusalem, especially in the Old City, since early dawn hours, Friday.

On Thursday evening, clashes took place in various neighborhoods in Jerusalem, and the Shu’fat refugee camp; the army fired rounds of live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets and gas bombs, while a number of youths hurled stones and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers.

The Israeli police kidnapped on Thursday and Wednesday 16 Palestinians in Jerusalem, raising the number of kidnapped Palestinians in the city alone since October 22, to 188, including 71 children.

Also on Thursday, dozens of Israeli extremists carried out another provocative march into the Al-Aqsa Mosque yards, while chanting slogans against the Arabs and waving Israeli flags.

In related news, the Israeli police said one of its cars came under Palestinian fire while driving on settlement road number 465, near ‘Aboud village, in the central West Bank district of Ramallah.

Jordan has submitted a complaint with the UN Security Council over Israel's violations in the holy city of Jerusalem, especially at the Aqsa Mosque, and said it would take other legal measures in this regard.

Jordan asked, in a letter to the UNSC, the 15 member states to hold Israel accountable for its violent police break-in at the Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday.

It said that the police violent acts at the Aqsa Mosque had caused material damage to it.

The Jordanian ministry of foreign affairs had summoned on Wednesday its ambassador to Tel Aviv for consultations in Amman in protest at Israel's escalation of its aggressive practices in the holy city, especially against Muslim worshipers inside and outside the Aqsa Mosque.

The Aqsa Mosque compound saw violent clashes yesterday between Muslim worshipers and Israeli police forces after the latter defiled the grey-domed prayer building and reached to its Salahuddin Mihrab area for the first time since 1967.

At least 15 Palestinians kidnapped across West Bank Seven Palestinians were injured, Thursday, after being targeted with rubber-coated metal bullets and teargas grenades by Israeli forces, as citizens and Birzeit University scholars headed to Ofer military camp, to protest in solidarity with Jerusalem and the rising number of dead throughout Palestine. A number of Jewish settlers stormed al-Aqsa Mosque compound following clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian worshippers inside the complex.

PNN reports that hundreds of participants headed towards the Ofer checkpoint West Ramallah, where clashes sparked with Israeli soldiers. Seven injuries have been reported so far.

According to Al Ray correspondence, tension has been running high in occupied East Jerusalem since Israeli authorities closed al-Aqsa Mosque compound following the attack on American-born extremist rabbi Yehuda Glick.

Authorities reopened the mosque the following day, after many violent clashes with Palestinian protesters, but continued their policy of barring male Muslim worshippers under 50 years old from entering the holy site.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas, for his part, warned that the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque was tantamount to a "declaration of war" against the Palestinian people and their sacred places.

Turkish/English news outlet "World Bulletin" compares the current uprising to events in September of 2000, when a visit to the site by controversial Israeli politician Ariel Sharon sparked what later became known as the Second Intifada, a popular uprising against the Israeli occupation in which thousands of Palestinians were killed.

Head of Hamas's political bureau Khaled Mishaal appealed to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco and Egypt to take urgent action to protect the Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem against Israel's violations, warning that the Mosque has become in the heart of danger.

In press remarks on Wednesday to Al-Sharq Portal news website, Mishaal called on Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan and Egypt to assume their religious and historical responsibilities towards the Aqsa Mosque and the holy city.

He also called on the Palestinian Authority to lead a massive popular revolution against Israel's violations in occupied Jerusalem.

The Hamas official outlined some important steps to confront the Israeli escalation against the Aqsa Mosque, one is to encourage the Palestinian people to resist and revolt against the occupation by all possible means and the other is to organize worldwide angry Arab and Islamic protests at the grassroots and official levels.

Mishaal stressed that all options are open before the Palestinian people to defend their holy sites, including the armed resistance.

Palestinian officials to approach UN Security Council over Israeli attacks on al-Aqsa Jordanian PM Abdullah Nassour has sent Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Jouda to call back their ambassador in Tel Aviv, in protest of escalating Israeli aggression, the attacks on al-Aqsa mosque and successive violations in Jerusalem. The Jordanian mission, under direction of the MFA, took the required diplomatic action in presenting the complaint to the council.

Palestinian presidency spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh, on Wednesday, said that Palestinian authorities decided to immediately head to the Security council, to halt the attacks on al-Aqsa.

Abu Rudeineh said, via press release, that the Israeli occupation authority systematically and deliberately continues its violations of the sanctity of the the mosque, the third holiest place and first direction for all Muslims.

Abu Rudeineh reiterated that Israel flagrantly violates all international laws, norms and legitimacy, adding that the Palestinian Authority has often warned Israel that al-Aqsa Mosque is a "red line" which must not be crossed.

Still, according to the PNN, the occupation powers proceed in their extreme and daily attacks, as well as the promotion divisive policies in general -- showing that Israel is not in favour of peace, nor will adhere to international law, forcing Palestinians and Arabs into a state of revolt.

Earlier today, Israeli occupation forces raided Al-Aqsa mosque and demolished a Palestinian citizen's house under construction in the al-Toor neighborhood.

Local sources say that the raid caused clashes between worshipers at al-Aqsa and Israeli forces, adding that there were injuries in the worshiper queues.

During its weekly meeting, the Palestinian unity government said Tuesday that the Israeli occupation’s authorities aim to drag the region to wider conflict through stepping up settlement schemes, escalating daily attacks against Jerusalemites and al-Aqsa Mosque.The council of ministers said that the IOA is solely responsible for the assassination attempt of the extremist rabbi Yehuda Glick.

The heroic steadfastness of the Palestinian people in occupied Jerusalem, the firm position of the Palestinian leadership, and the Jordanian pressures would certainly foil Israel’s Judaization and settlement schemes, the council’s statement said.

The council called upon the Arab and Islamic Nation, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Conference to bear their responsibilities in defense of al-Aqsa Mosque in light of Israel’s growing territorial ambitions.

Netanyahu’s call for calm is misleading, as it is followed by his decision to approve 500 new housing units in Ramat Shlomo settlement neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem, the statement added.

The statement also pointed out that the IOA allowed the right-wing Knesset member Moshe Feiglin and several Jewish settlers to desecrate the Aqsa Mosque.

The council strongly condemned the cold-blooded murder of the ex-detainee Mutaz Hijazi by Israeli special forces in his home in occupied Jerusalem.

In another context, the statement pointed to Israeli continued and escalated violations against Palestinian prisoners and detainees, calling upon the international community to intervene immediately and demand their release especially sick prisoners, administrative detainees, the detained minors, and those who were detained before Oslo accords.

Soldiers, Police Officers And Undercover Forces Invade Mosque Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded, on Wednesday morning, the grounds of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, assaulted the worshipers with concussion grenades, gas bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets, and invaded the main mosque within the compound.

The Maan News Agency said dozens of soldiers invaded the yards of the mosque through the al-Magharba Gate and the Chain Gate (Bab as-Silsila) and assaulted dozens of worshipers who managed to reach the mosque yards.

Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib, head of the Islamic Waqf and Endowment in Jerusalem, stated that dozens of soldiers invaded the al-Qibli mosque while heavily armed.

Al-Khatib denounced the military desecration of the mosque, and this serious violation, especially since the soldiers violated the sanctity of the mosque, wearing their shoes and carrying their weapons into the house of prayer, in a serious escalation and assault.

Eyewitnesses said clashes took place inside the al-Qibli mosque of Al-Aqsa and that the soldiers fired dozens of gas bombs and concussion grenades at the worshipers causing several injuries. Two people suffered serious head wounds, and one who was shot in his eye.

Palestinian medics rushed to the scene, but the soldiers prevented them from entering the mosque compound for more than 30 minutes before they decided to allow just one doctor and a nurse to enter.

Initial reports indicate that around 40 Palestinians have been injured.

The soldiers then closed the gates of the al-Qibli mosque with chains and iron bars, and hurled concussion grenades at the mosque guards.

Earlier on Wednesday at dawn, the soldiers prevented all Muslim men below the age of 50 from entering the mosque, and allowed the women through only after withholding their ID cards.

Following dawn prayers, Israel prevented all worshipers, including Waqf Department employees and around 500 Sharia students, from entering the mosque.

The soldiers opened the mosque more than an hour later following extensive talks.

The soldiers also closed all gates of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, except for Bab Hatta, Bab Al-Majlis (Council Gate) and Bab as-Silsila (Chain Gate).

In related news, dozens of Israeli fanatics invaded the yards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, amidst extensive police and military deployment, and toured in the area amidst calls for more extensive invasions of the Mosque compound.

Also in Jerusalem, Israeli soldiers demolished an under-construction Palestinian home in the at-Tour neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem.

The soldiers also kidnapped at least 17 Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, and Abu Dis nearby town.